When students return to school in a few weeks, a local organization will step up efforts to send them all to college for free.

The Cleveland County Promise announced plans in April to raise money to create a fund to pay the tuition to colleges and universities for all of the county’s high school graduates.

In May, Promise organizers set a $2 million August goal to raise money to send the class of 2013 to college on its dime.

Promise organizers are still working to raise that money and more, said Willie Green, a county resident and former NFL player who helped start the nonprofit effort. Now, Green said, the goal is to raise money in time to pay for the college costs for the local high school class of 2014.

“We have received a huge response from the public and are constantly getting e-mails from families who can’t afford college,” Green said. “We are hoping to meet our goal by the end of August.”

Green said fundraising efforts will increase once the 2013-14 school year starts. Cleveland County Schools students return to the classroom Monday, Aug. 26.

Promise leaders also plan to hold “town hall” meetings for students and parents to provide more information on the program, he said.

“Our goal is $2 million,” Green said. “But we don’t have data on what colleges in state and out of state that students are going to.”

Green said he plans to also present the Promise to county commissioners Aug. 9 to seek their support.

Green and fellow Promise leaders have already sought the support of Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C. 10), local businesses and potential donors outside the county.

Program leaders previously told The Star they want to raise enough money to pay for all of the college-bound students in a graduating class.

“If we do not raise the necessary goal, if we can’t fund everybody, we won’t fund anybody,” Green said.